Exhibit 12(a) J. C. Penney Company, Inc. and Consolidated Subsidiaries Computation of Ratios of Available Income to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividend Requirement 52 Weeks 52 Weeks 52 Weeks 52 Weeks 52 Weeks Ended Ended Ended Ended Ended ($ in Millions) 01/25/03 01/26/02 01/27/01 01/29/00 01/30/99 -------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- Income/(loss) from continuing operations $ 557 $ 172 $ (920) $ 237 $ 674 (before income taxes, before capitalized interest, but after preferred stock dividend) Fixed charges Interest (including capitalized interest) on: Operating leases 349 305 320 272 225 Short-term debt 4 -- 13 137 106 Long-term debt 403 426 464 538 557 Capital leases 4 5 3 2 4 Other, net 19 8 2 (5) 1 -------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- Total fixed charges 779 744 802 944 893 Preferred stock dividend, before taxes 27 29 33 36 37 -------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- Combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividend requirement 806 773 835 980 930 Total available income/(loss) $ 1,363 $ 945 $ (85) $ 1,217 $ 1,604 ============== ============= ============= ============= ============= Ratio of available income to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividend requirement 1.7 1.2 -0.1 * 1.2 1.7 ============== ============= ============= ============= ============= * Income from continuing operations (before income taxes and capitalized interest, but after preferred stock dividend) was not sufficient to cover combined fixed charges and preferred stock by $920 million.